Meet colonial women who will share true tales of the Black experience in Philadelphia and listen to our storytellers as they share little-known stories about the city’s Free Black community in the 18th century and beyond. These Black History Month programs at the Betsy Ross House are FREE.

History Maker Saturdays

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday in February, meet Ona Judge or Sarah Bass Allen and learn about their fascinating lives and experiences as Black women in colonial Philadelphia.

Ona Judge was enslaved by George Washington’s family and brought with him, along with seven other enslaved people, to Philadelphia during his presidency. She fled one day when the Washingtons were preparing to return to Virginia between sessions of Congress.

Born into slavery, Sarah Bass Allen became a noted abolitionist and is considered the Founding Mother of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, started by her husband, Reverend Richard Allen. The couple’s home was a stop on the Underground Railroad, and she was known to feed and care for those who had escaped slavery.

Storytelling Sundays

Hear true stories of the Black experience in Philadelphia history for free on Sundays in February from 11am – 4pm.